1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a gate lock for a chain link fence, and more particularly, to a high security gate lock for chain link fences.
2. Prior Art
Chain link fences are well known. Typically such fences include a frame having numerous poles disposed at fixed intervals which support a mesh of thick metal wire which forms a screen. The screen is secured to the poles by pieces of wire. To provide a gate in an opening between two poles of a chain link fence, the gate being about the size of the opening is hinged to a pole on one side of the opening. An oarlock or fork latch is hingeably attached to the opposite pole of the gate frame. When the gate is in the closed position, the oarlock or fork latch is moved to the horizontal position where it receives the pole o the fence in the U-shaped portion thereof.
To lock the gate when the oarlock is in the closed position, i.e. horizontal, openings in the lock and collar are provided which line up, and a padlock is passed through the openings to lock them in their aligned position. With the lock in place, the oarlock cannot be moved from the horizontal closed position to the vertical open position. Thus the gate is locked.
The drawbacks of such a method of locking a chain link gate includes difficulty in opening and closing the lock and gate, the potential to lose or misplace the lock, and the inherent weakness of an oarlock or fork latch to tampering by an intruder. Loss of the lock occurs frequently because the padlock has to be removed from the gate to complete the locking and unlocking operation. Further, in order to unlock the gate two hands must be used, one hand to hold and steady the lock and another hand for inserting the key to open the lock.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,541 to the inventor herein, McQuade (hereinafter "McQuade '541") eliminates the risk of losing or misplacing the lock because the locking device is always attached to the gate frame. At no time is the lock removed from the gate to complete its operation. Operational ease is attained because the lock is stationary and the key slot is accessible. To open the lock simply insert the key and turn. When the key is turned, the lock cylinder will pop out and release the lock bar from the oarlock. To lock the gate, the oarlock is moved to its horizontal, locking position and a push button cylinder is engaged to move its lock bar into an opening in the oarlock to fix the oarlock in position.
In McQuade '541 the collar holding the lock and oarlock is modified from that typically used to retain an oarlock. The collar is in two pieces and sandwiches the pipe of the gate frame. Set screws pass through the collar causing the collar to engage the trame pipe. The lock system is comprised of several parts, and each of the parts is easily replaceable permitting quick repair. The lock provides a child proof gate lock with ease of installation. The lock is always in its proper locking position and cannot be misplaced.
The McOuade '541 gate lock works very well for its intended use as a low security gate lock, but the locking mechanism can be pulled out of the gate lock assembly by one who wishes to breach the security of the chain link fence.